Ethiopia: Humanitarian Assistance

Baroness Amos: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Hilary Benn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	In response to the revised humanitarian appeal launched by the government of Ethiopia on 4 May 2005, the Department for International Development (DfID) will make a contribution of £5 million to assist the poor in life-threatening situations. This is in addition to £1 million contributed through UNICEF in response to the initial December 2004 appeal.
	This is also in addition to the UK's commitment to provide £70 million over the next three years to Ethiopia's Productive Safety Nets Programme, designed to provide predictable support for the estimated 5 million people in regular need of emergency assistance, and to tackle the underlying problems of food insecurity in Ethiopia.